Stopping mechanism for knitting-machines



(No Model.

) 0. M. MUSGROVE.

STOPPINGYMEOHANISM FOR KNITTING MAGHINES.

No. 449,910. Patnted Apr. ,7, 1891.

NITED STATES 1;

PATENT nron.

CHARLES M. MUSGROVE, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

STOPPING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,910, dated April '7, 1891.

Application filed duly 9, 1890. Serial No. 358,198. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLEsM. MUscRovE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsfield, in the county of Berkshire and- State of Massachusetts, have invented new; and useful Improvements in Stopping Mech anism for Knitting-Machines, of which the.

following is a specification.

This invention relates to stop-motions for:

circular-knitting machines, the object'of the invention being to provide a mechanism for insuring the stoppage of the knitting-machine on the presence of or entrance between the series of circularly-arranged needles and the stitch-wheel of lumpy or bunched places in tially as hereinafter more fully described, and

set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the present improvements are illustrated, Figure 1 being a perspective view of the front portion of a circular-knitting machine, showing a common form of a stop-motion device applied thereon which is capable of being actuated by 'the presence of lumps or bunches in the knit fabric, and also showing the stop-motion devices of the present invention which are actuated directly on the entrance to the knitting-needles of yarn having a bunch or lump'thereinQ, Fig. 2 is a view in perspective,on an enlarged scale, of portions of the new and improved stop-motion mechanism.

In the drawings, A represents the rotating cylinder, around which the series of needles (indicated by a) are arranged.

B represents the power-shipping lever, the

arm I) of which engages with the driving-belt, all so that when the lever is swung in the proper direction the driving-belt will be trans- F ferred from the fixed to the loose pulley, as

most common in this class of'knitting-ma chines.

On the arm 0 of the power-shipping lever there is a fixed extension 0, which extends over the table 0 of the knitting-machine.

D represents a form of stop-motion which has been heretofore employed, which insures the stoppage of the machine shortly after a lump or bunch is knitted into the fabric. This mechanism comprises a supportingstandard 10, in a vertical socket of which a vertical shaft 12 is supported for a partial rotary reciprocating or rocking motion, there being on said shaft a fixed radial arm 13, having its inner extremity 14 formed with fingers, which are adapted to bear with a yielding pressure upon the lower courses of the knit fabric, and, as Well known, on the passage under the said fingersof aportion of the already knit fabric which has a bunched place knit thereinto or in which there may be a hole, as produced by imperfect knitting, the arm 13 will be swung and the shaft 12 rocked. The said shaft has a cam-formed projection 15 thereon, which forces the latchlever 9 out of its latch-socket 16. The said lever 9 is then free to swing and permit the action of the spring-constrained shipper-lever B to secure the stoppage of the machine.

The devices of the present improved stop motion mechanism will be now fully described.

g represents the usual stitchor loop forming wheel carried on the inner end-of the horizontal spindle f, which is mounted radially with relation to the needle-cylinder upon the barrel or tubular bracket h, said barrel being carried on a standard 21 rising from the table. The spindle has an endwise motion through the barrel, it being normally held in its innermost disposition by a spring within the barrel suitably applied to the spindle.

There is formed on or attached to the outer end of the barrel h a yoke or support j.

It represents a trigger pivotally supported on the said yoke j and adapted by gravity to be maintained in its normal position of engagement with a latch or pawl, to be soon particularly described. The said trigger is has a suitable portion or member, as the one Z,

' with which a flange m on the axially-movable spindle f has an engagement. As showmthe latch-engaging part 02 of the trigger 'works within a vertical groove 0 in the said yoke j, which groove is intersected at or about at right angles thereto by another groove 19 in the said yoke.

(1 represents the latch above mentioned, and which is pivotally mounted at q upon the said yoke j for a swinging movement in a V61;- tical plane which is angular to the plane of swing of the said trigger. Said latch (see Fig. 2) has its upper extremity of a hook form, which enters the said groove or slot pl A comparatively stiff spring r is applied with relation to said latch to insure the swinging thereof in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2.

8 represents a shipper-rod which is suitably supported for a movement toward and from the vertical shaft 12, said shipper-rod being guided as to a portion thereof in a suitable way provided therefor in said yoke j, and in proximity to the said latch q said rod 8 has a shoulder t, and there is another shoulder u, on said shipper-rod s, which is in proximity to the end of a radial arm 1:, which is secured upon or has an engagement with the said rocking shaft 12. Y

The operation of the machine will now be described,it being assumed thatthe shipper.- lever B is in its position for placing the belt on the driving-pulley and that the latch-lever 9 is so held by its engagement in the socket 16 that the shipper-lever B will be held against swinging. The latch q is placed in the position (shown in Fig. 2) of engagement with the trigger, and the thread is guided in the usual way through the eyes in the guide to behind the stitch-wheel g and between the latter and the needles. The existence of abnormal conditions either as to the formot' the thread or as to its free passage to the knitting-needle will insure an outward pressure on the stitch-wheel and an outward movement thereof and of its carrying-spindle For instance, should a knot or lumpor bunch in or of the thread pass behind the stitch-' wheel the same will insure, on the attempted forcing of such bunched portion of thread by the stitch-wheel wings between the needles, the outward yielding of the Wheel and its supporting-spindle; or, again, should the thread for any reason be restrained from freely passing through the eye or eyes in the thread-guide, as the usual one, as shown at w, the tension then imparted to the thread will outwardly force the stitch-wheel. The motion being imparted outwardly to the stitchwheel and .its supporting-spindle through the flange m, swings the trigger out of engagement with the latch g, which latter is then free to be swung by its spring, the top of the latch, by its engagement with the shoulder t on the shipper-rod 3, moving said rod endwise, and through the consequent swinging of the arm or extension 1) the rock-shaft 12 is 'caused partially to rotate, and the cam projection 15 thereon throws the lever 9 out of latch, and, as plain, the shipper-lever B is then free to. be spring-swung to insure the stoppage of the knitting-machine.

As is well known, it is common in circularknitting machines simultaneously to knit four courses in the production of tubular knit fabric, four stitch-Wheels being provided at proper intervals around the needle-cylinder, there being provided suitable guides for the thre d coming from separate bobbins respectively provided for each stitch-wheel, and I therefore usually provide trigger and latch devices, substantially as described, in the operative relation to each of the stitch-wheel spindles set forth, and I provide one shipperrod 8, which is circular or of arc form, and which is in common with all of the latch and trigger devices of the series, said shipper-rod 8 being provided in advance of each latch q with the shoulder-piece t, and thus itwill be seen that should such conditions of the thread be present at or in relation to any stitchwheel mechanism of the series as would insure imperfect knitting the movement of the shipper-rods will be insured for effecting the stoppage of the machine.

It will be noted, Fig. 2, that the extremity n of the trigger is beveled, whereby the contact thereagainst at its front side by the latchhook will insure the slight swinging movement of the trigger which is necessary to permit of the movement of the latch to be engaged by the trigger. Therefore, the parts having been actuated for the stoppage of the machine, the temporary engagement of the trigger and latch may be readily restored by the moving of the shipper-rod sin the proper direction, so that a shoulder 6 thereof will force the latch which has been disengaged back into its position of engagement with the trigger.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination, with the power-shipping device of a knitting-machine and a latch for maintaining the same in its position for insuring the running of the machine, and the stitch-wheel and its yieldingcarrying-support, of a trigger having an engagement with said stitch-wheel support, aspring-actuated latch adapted to be restrained by said trigger, and movable connections between said latch and the latch for restraining said power-shipping device, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the power-shipping device of a knitting-machine and a latch for maintaining the same in its position for insuring the running of the machine, of the stitch-wheel and its spindle-support which is adapted for a yielding action and is provided with an extension or flange m, a yoke or supportmounted in relation to said spindle-support having the intersecting slots 0 and p, a trigger is, pivoted on said yoke and having a member in engagement with said flange m and another member located within said slot 0, a spring-constrained latch pivotally mount IIO ed on said yoke and having a portion which enters said slot 10 for engagement with said trigger, and movable connections between said latch and the latch which restrains said power-shipping device, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the power-shipping device of a knitting-machine and a latch for maintaining the same in its position for insuring the running of the machine, of a series of stitch-wheels with yielding carryingsupports respectively provided therefor, triggers mounted for engagement, respectively, with stitch-wheel supports, spring-constrained latches adapted to be confined by said triggers, a shipper-rod ranging in proximity to said several latches and having abutments to be engaged thereby, and movable connections between said shipper-rod and the latch which restrain said power-shipping device, for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with a power-shipping device of a knitting-machine and a latch for maintaining same in its position for insuring the running of the machine, and a restraining-seat for said latch, and a rock-shaft 12, having a cam projection thereon for forcing said latch from its seat, of the stitch-wheel and its carrying-support, a trigger having an engagement with said support,a spring-actuated latch adapted to be held by said trigger, and a medium of connection between said latch and said rock shaft, substantially as and for the purpose described.

CHARLES M. MUSGROVE. Witnesses:

WM. S. BELLOWS, H. A. OHAPIN. 

